Lexington, NC
A story that begins with a teenage boy in North Carolina building a chest in shop class and winning an industrial arts award now has chapters that span a 50-year professional art career. Those chapters include such accomplishments as a world-renowned furniture line, paintings and prints hanging in galleries and homes across the country, and an 84-year-old who still creates every day.
Beginning in July and running through August, the 50th Anniversary Art Exhibition at The Bob Timberlake Gallery in Lexington showcases the work of this prolific painter, designer and storyteller. Most of the pieces in the show are previously unseen works, many created by Timberlake within the past couple of years.
The exhibition was delayed due to the pandemic, so this year technically marks the 51st anniversary of Timberlake’s professional career. He held his first art show in May 1970 in Winston-Salem.
“Because we had to wait a year, we had time to realize what this show was really all about,” Timberlake says. “It’s an insight into how the artist thinks, or how I think.”
In addition to the realist landscapes for which Timberlake is best known, the show includes what Timberlake calls “easel studies.” As he prepares to paint, Timberlake covers his easel with a piece of paper. Throughout the painting process, he fills the paper surrounding his canvas with doodles, quotes, observations, phone numbers of people he needs to call back — whatever enters his mind as he creates.
Works in the show from the late 1960s till today demonstrate the progression of Timberlake’s style. Although his technique might have evolved, his muse has always been the rural surroundings of his Davidson County home.
“The best thing I had going for me was that I was so naive,” Timberlake says. “I didn’t know what I was doing; I was just doing it from the heart.”
The 50th Anniversary Art Exhibition opens to the public July 1 and continues through August. Gallery hours are Thursday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. For more information: www.BobTimberlake.com.
Known as the “capital” of North Carolina barbecue, Lexington celebrates with two major barbecue events: the BBQ Capital Cook-Off in late April and the Barbecue Festival in late October.
Lexington Tourism Authority & Visitors Center
2 North Main Street, Lexington, NC 27292
www.visitlexingtonnc.com
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